Emails sent by City Manager Joyce Wilson that appeared to criticize members of the City Council and opponents of plans to build a Downtown ballpark has prompted an early evaluation of her job.

In a memo dated Monday, El Paso Mayor John Cook asked City Council members to finish their written evaluations of Wilson by the end of November and said council members should consider Wilson's emails in their overall assessment of her.

"I thought it was important to address the open records emails" through Wilson's performance evaluation, Cook said.

"That's the most professional way to handle it."

Cook said he wants to have Wilson's evaluation finished before Christmas. Once the representatives' assessments are completed, the City Council will discuss the evaluation in executive session.

Cook said that before the emails were made public, he had intended to do Wilson's performance evaluation after the winter holidays.

In an email referring to critics of the ballpark and a November bond referendum, Wilson wrote that the "crazies" in the city were going to kill efforts to bring a Triple-A baseball team to El Paso.

In an email exchange with city Rep. Cortney Niland during a council meeting on June 5, Wilson said some city representatives have the "beginnings of dementia," presumably referring to city Reps. Ann Morgan Lilly and Carl Robinson.

Wilson earlier this month apologized for what she called "disrespectful" comments and added that she regretted making the remarks.

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Voters on Nov. 6 approved Proposition 3, which would fund construction of a baseball stadium where City Hall is located. It called for the designation of a ballpark project as a sports venue and the use of hotel occupancy tax dollars to finance it. With the proposition approved, a $50 million Triple-A ballpark will be financed primarily by customers of El Paso hotels. The remaining portion would be paid for by lease payments, baseball-ticket surcharges and parking revenues, among other revenue sources. Two other propositions, which called for $473 million in projects including parks and zoo improvements, a new children's museum, and a multipurpose arena, passed with ease.

City Rep. Steve Ortega said Friday night said that he has turned in his evaluation of Wilson.

"I think she made a mistake, which she acknowledged," Ortega said.

"That being said, having worked with her for over seven years, she is a tremendous city manager and there is not anyone that I can think of that I would rather have in that position."

Wilson could not be reached for comment late Friday.

Stephanie Townsend Allala, an El Paso lawyer who has helped lead and organize opposition groups, said earlier this month that Wilson should resign or be fired.

"The disrespect for good government that we have seen in these emails -- the disrespect to the taxpayers -- flies in the face of democracy," said Allala, who obtained the emails through the Texas Public Information Act.

Allala could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Reporter Hayley Kappes may be reached at hkappes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6168. Follow her on Twitter @hayleykappes

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